Settling
by Subject87
Summary: He wasn't willing to settle, neither was she. Harry/Hermione oneshot, takes place the day after the battle of hogwarts.


Harry looked down at his wand, anything to keep his eyes away from the sickening sight of Ron and Hermione together and holding hands. He could still feel the aftermath of the battle in his body, his adrenaline was sky high and he smelled like blood and dirt. He, Ron, and Hermione had volunteered to stay at Hogwarts and help clear away the debris from the battle but he wasn't particularly paying attention to what he was supposed to be doing.

Hermione looked up from her work at Harry, who was studying his hands, and felt a soft sigh escape her lips but quickly covered it with a yawn before Ron could glance at her with the same old familiar jealousy and suspicion. He never believed she wasn't in love with Harry, and sometimes even she couldn't find the energy to convince him otherwise.

Ron felt his fist clench as he noticed Hermione, his girlfriend, looking at his best friend and tried to keep his temper down and fight the jealousy that was invading his body like an unwanted parasite, infecting him down to his core. _Bloody hell_ he thought as his hand slipped out of hers and he clasped them together to keep from doing anything rash, like strangling Harry, and turned his attention to the aftermath of the battle.

Ginny folded her arms under her chest as she watched from the window of the Gryffindor Common room as Hermione looked at Harry while Harry tried to look anywhere but Hermione. "Disgusting" she muttered and turned around to walk away, jealousy surging through her like a wild fire "He turned me down for her?" she asked herself as she headed down the hall way, her mind turning back to right after the final battle with Voldemort.

"_Hey Harry!" Ginny said excitedly as she approached the Hero, the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter himself, "I'm glad you're okay" she whispered softly._

_Harry smiled but she could tell his heart wasn't in it, "Thanks Ginny" he said and let his smile drop. His arms dangled at his side and there was blood on his forehead but he seemed okay._

"_You're bleeding" she said, sounding worried, "What happened?" she asked._

"_I was in a war" he said patiently, "I got lucky, I'm not dead." He sounded exhausted but she needed to know now _

"_So now that the war is over can we go back to the way things were?" She asked. _

_Harry stopped "No.. Nothing's going to be the same as it used to be." He said with a certain tone that told her that it would do no good to bring it up again. "I'm Sorry Ginny" he finally said before he disappeared into the crowd of people going to the dorms. _

She felt tears coming back, that had been just yesterday and now he was looking at her best friend the way he used to look at her, she moved passed the students helping clean up Hogwarts after the battle and make sure the dead were all accounted for.

She headed out to the courtyard where the trio were and tapped Harry on the shoulder "Can we talk... in private?"

Harry frowned, his normally bright green eyes seemed just a bit darker as he looked at her "Sure"

They walked far enough that she was sure Ron and Hermione couldn't hear them before she rounded on him "You're in love with her aren't you?" she demanded.

Harry's eyes, which had been studying the ground as if it were the most important thing on the planet, snapped up to look at her "Um..." he trailed off, "She's like a-"

"Like a Sister, so you say" She interrupted, "But I've seen the way you look at her."

Harry shrugged, not seeing the point in keeping up the charade "It doesn't matter, she's with Ron" he said sounding defeated.

"Oh for the love.." Ginny said, not quite sure why she was helping the boy she was supposed to love get another girl, "She looks at you the same way at you!"

Harry's heart felt like it was going to explode "S-She does?" he asked. For a moment he forgot how to breath as his mind contemplated the fact that Hermione might feel the same way about him. "A-Are you sure?" he stuttered.

"Well duh" She said with an eye roll, "We're best friends, I know these things."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded slowly "Alright.. I um.. What should I do?" he asked.

"Savior of the bloody Wizarding World and doesn't know how to talk to a girl" she grumbled, "Listen, just go over to her and ask to talk to her, then don't be like Ron" she said.

Harry just stared at her "That's horrible advice" he said, "But thanks Ginny."

She rolled her eyes again "Fine fine, now go get her" she said, surprised at how she didn't seem to care if Harry was happy with someone besides her, and that the first thought in her mind was if Neville was around to talk to.

Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were staring at him, and he cleared his throat "Hermione... Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked. He was trying not to show how nervous he was but his legs felt like jelly and when she smiled at him he thought he was going to fall over.

"Sure Harry" She paused and looked at Ron, "We'll be right back" she told him.

They walked out of earshot, Harry hated sneaking around his best friends back but this was something that needed to be done. "Hermione..." He said her name delicately, as if it were something precious to be revered, "I have... I have something I need to ask you."

"What is it Harry?" She asked as she bit her lip and stared into his eyes.

"I need to know... How do you feel about me?" he asked suddenly, not quite as smoothly as he wanted to.

"Uhm I um.." Hermione stuttered, caught off guard by the question. She looked down shyly, now was her chance and she felt like her voice had left her.

"I love you" he continued, careful to keep his voice down, "I didn't.. I don't know how I didn't realize it before but I really do" he whispered, "I owe you my life, I owe you... I owe you so much that I can't even begin to tell you how much I owe you."

Hermione, without a second thought, threw her arms around him "I would have gone with you" she whispered, trying to keep her tears at bay "When you went to face Voldemort... I couldn't live without you Harry."

"I know, and I feel the same way 'Mione" he whispered, "Which is why I have to tell you now how I feel."

"I love you too Harry." She replied.

Neither had noticed Ron had come up behind them, a bitter smile on his face ,"I was wondering when you two would come to your bloody senses." He said.

Hermione jumped back and whirled on him, her body visibly tensing up "Ron!" she squeaked, "I um.. I'm sorr-"

Ron raised a hand to interrupt her "It's fine... I'm actually, I don't know... Relieved" he said, "We're just meant to be friends, let's face it we barely function as friends."

Hermione relaxed and smiled "Thanks Ron" she said, "I'm glad you approve... You are our best friend after all."

Ron shrugged "I'm gonna go find Luna... See if she's available to talk." He said with a grin.

Harry and Hermione watched him walk away before focusing on each other "So " she said with a sly grin "I'm glad you came forward... I couldn't have settled for Ron."

Harry leaned down to kiss her and whispered against her lips "I couldn't settle for anyone else."

Hermione bit her lip "Me either." she whispered before sealing that promise with a kiss.

**Note: **So I hope you guys like it, this is me getting back into Harmony, so hopefully I can finish I Will Remember You. Please let me know if you like or dislike it. As always I don't own Harry Potter or anything related


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